The Hacker
by stargazing-sweetie
Summary: When Konoha receives a threatening message, who will they hire to help? Why, Sakura of course! But can she solve the case before it's too late?
1. Prologue

**The Hacker**

**Prologue**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and characters do not belong to me.**

* * *

Sakura was startled awake by a knock on her apartment door. She sleepily listened for the remaining knocks of her password, but none came. Obviously this was not another client. She groaned before getting up, casting a quick glance around the room to make sure it was relatively clean. She got to the door, straightened out her clothes, and then opened it.

Itachi's first impression of Sakura was that perhaps he was mistaken. This little slip of a girl standing in front of him had **PINK** hair. She was wearing a long-sleeved striped shirt with a plain t-shirt on top along with a blue button up collared shirt that had the sleeves cut off. She wore jean capris that were rolled up at her knees and knee-high black and white striped socks. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. Before he could excuse himself, she spoke up.

"Mornin' Itachi Uchiha. To what do I owe this unexpected surprise?" Itachi composed himself.

"Are you Sakura Haruno?" Sakura smirked.

"Perhaps. Is Sakura in trouble?" Itachi was tempted to say yes, but decided against it.

"No, she is not."

"Then yes, I'm Sakura." Said girl couldn't keep the cheeky grin off her face.

"May I come in? I have some important matters I wish to discuss with you in privacy." Sakura's grin dropped. To have an FBI agent come to her home was suspicious in itself, but for said agent to have important matters to talk with her about was even stranger.

"Yes, please come in." She ushered the Uchiha in and closed the door behind him. She turned around and found him scanning her apartment with sharp eyes.

"Would you like something to drink? Coffee perhaps?" Itachi nodded. Yes, coffee would be wonderful at a time like this. He still couldn't believe he was actually here. However the agency needed help in a certain field of expertise, and she was apparently one of the best.

A few minutes later, Sakura came back with two steaming cups of coffee. She handed him his and then sat back in her spinning chair. She crossed her left leg under her right, making sure not to spill the coffee as she moved around to get comfortable.

"Alright Uchiha, what seems to be the problem?" Itachi collected his thoughts and then began.

"I would like to start off by saying that I am aware of your proficiency as a hacker-" Sakura froze, "-and it is for this reason that I have come to visit you today."

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Sakura could barely believe her ears. The FBI wanted _**her**_ skills as a hacker? Itachi remained stoic.

"We have acquired a number of threats in the past and have been able to eradicate them to the best of our abilities. However this last one is beyond our capabilities. Most of the information we need to obtain is through the internet, and despite having exceptional computers techs, we need someone who is more advanced in this field, someone like you." Itachi paused to allow the information to sink in. Sakura took a sip of her coffee.

"We received an email a few days ago stating that there will be an attack on our country in the near future. Unfortunately we were unable to track neither who sent this particular mail nor who will be our attackers. After some searching and investigating I was able to find someone with the required knowledge, you. I'd like to ask if you would please consider helping us with this potential problem." Sakura finally spoke up.

"What exactly would you have me do?"

"You would first trace the email and the sender. Our agents were not able to find anything. Perhaps you will have better luck. Second, you will need to find all the information on the sender and their connections, along with associates and past jobs. We need to be able to track their moves."

"Where would I work? Surely you would not have me working here at my apartment where it would be inconvenient for you and the other agents to check up on me. Calling and sending emails for updates is also out of the question." Itachi internally smirked. She would not reject his proposal.

"You may work and sleep at FBI Headquarters. We will provide you with state of the art technology, along with your own office and a couch." Sakura's mind worked a thousand miles per minute. She weighed the pros and cons. Finally she came to a conclusion.

"Alright, I'll do it. What about payment? I don't do it for free y'know."

"Payment? Isn't not getting arrested for hacking enough payment?" Itachi smirked.

"Definitely not. If that's what I get in return, then I'm afraid you're wasting your valuable time." Sakura hmphed. Like hell she wouldn't get paid for this.

"We will discuss your payment at a later date. But first you need to gather all your belongings you wish to take with you and then I will take you to HQ." Sakura did not grace him with a reply. She simply got up and went to her room, gathering a few pairs of extra clothes and her toiletries. Once those were packed, she went back out and packed away her electronics that she always kept with her, namely her laptop. She finished washing the cups they drank from and then went to Itachi who was standing by the door.

"Are you ready?" Sakura nodded. "Good. Let's go." She took one last glance around her home before closing and locking the door behind her.

-s-

The ride to HQ was quiet, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Sakura didn't even realize that they had arrived until Itachi gently shook her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"We are here." Sakura followed behind the man as he lead the way through the building. She observed all the high-tech gear and almost rubbed her hands in glee when they went through computer-automated locked doors. She'd have a blast hacking this system.

They walked through another set of doors before stopping in front of the last room at the end of the hallway. Itachi knocked. A muffled voice from inside answered.

"Come in." Itachi opened up the door and then walked in, waiting for Sakura to enter as well before closing the door behind them.

"Uchiha, what a surprise. And who might this be?" Sakura stared at the woman sitting before her. The lady in front of her had long blonde hair pulled back in two pigtails and hazel eyes. However her most eye-catching feature was her enormous chest. They were just so huge that Sakura had half a mind to ask if they were fake. The lady quickly glanced at her before turning her gaze back to Itachi.

"This is Sakura Haruno, a computer hacker. She is said to be one of the best, and I believe she might be able to help us with the new threat." Remembering her manners, Sakura stepped forward and bowed. All eyes were directed at her once more.

"Hello Tsunade-sama. I would be glad to help out with your current dilemma."

"And why should I let you? How can I be so sure you are trustworthy enough to not leak any of the information you would discover?" Sakura shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, already anticipating the questions.

"You can't. You'll just have to trust Uchiha's judgment." Tsunade looked contemplative for a little while before she sighed and spoke up.

"Alright. Since I trust Uchiha, I'll trust his judgment of choosing you. For now. However if you make even the slightest slip up, you'll be out of here before you can blink. Is that clear?" Sakura's playfulness kicked in.

"Crystal ma'am!" Tsunade smirked.

"Good. Now, let's talk about the details of your stay here."

-s-

An hour later Sakura was in her new room, unpacking her clothes and things. Itachi had shown her the way here and then left a few moments later, saying he had other business to

attend to. She had almost drooled at the sight of all the wonderful, not to mention new technology placed in her room. She'd definitely enjoy working here.

After putting everything away and organizing the room to her liking she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, clearing her mind of any unnecessary thoughts. She cracked her fingers, back, and neck before opening her eyes and sitting down in front of the multiple computer screens at her desk. Time to get crackin'.

* * *

A/N: So this new story just popped into my mind and wouldn't leave. So I decided to let my muse go and just write it, putting a hold on my other ones. I've got the plot all planned out and all I need to do is just write the chapters.

There's a picture of Sakura and a picture of the computers on my profile page just incase.

Hope you enjoy.

R&R please. Any mistakes I need to correct? Your reviews will let me know how I'm doing so far.

Thanks.

SS


	2. Chapter 1

**The Hacker**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

After taking an hour or so to get acquainted with the new technology, Sakura was ready to begin. Before she could even begin working on the email, she first had to get used to the network and systems. She couldn't very well start while being in uncharted territory. Her eyes moved from screen to screen, taking in everything that was displayed before moving on to the next one. Once she finished with one network, she would pause and draw a quick sketch of everything. Sakura liked to think of the networks as intricate mazes and drew them as such.

The whole process took up the entire day, and when she had finally finished, it was 8:25 pm. She vaguely remembered opening up a drawer and taking out a bag of skittles some time around noon. Deciding that she had spent an adequate amount of time adapting to the new network, Sakura opted to take a short break before moving on to the email.

Now that her attention was not on the screens she became aware of how hungry she really was. She knew that she had to get something to eat or else she'd pass out. Unfolding her crossed legs, she slowly pried herself off the chair. Once she was successfully standing on her own two feet she clasped her hands up above her head and leaned back, feeling and hearing the popping of her back. After stretching her sore muscles that had been in only a few positions since she started, Sakura went to grab something from their HQ lounge.

Having already memorized a map of the entire base from her earlier research of the system, she did not need a guide to lead her to her set destination.

Once she made it to the room she noticed she was not alone. There was a man silver hair that defied gravity slouching on the couch. He looked up when she stepped inside. Sakura took in the mismatched eye color, the odd hair, and the famous piece of cloth that covered the lower half of his face. She immediately identified him. Kakashi Hatake.

Just as she was profiling him, he was also observing her; watching her with sharp eyes despite is laid-back posture. Finally done with all the staring, Sakura broke eye contact and walked over to the coffee pot sitting on the counter. Sakura had a feeling she'd be staying up quite late, and she would need that extra energy. She turned it on and then went searching for some food as she waited for her drink. Just as she was about to open a cabinet she heard a voice behind her.

"There are microwavable meals in the freezer." Sakura glanced over her shoulder to the man still sitting on the couch with his back to her. Sakura didn't bother to ask how he knew that she wasn't going straight to the fridge, but merely raised an eyebrow instead of vocalizing her thoughts. She walked over to the freezer and looked inside. Not seeing anything she liked she opened the fridge and couldn't keep the large grin off her face. Cranberry juice. Oh how she loved the drink!

Despite being 22 years old, Sakura decided to make a plain peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After she finished making her food and pouring herself a tall glass of cranberry juice, she took a seat at one of the many tables scattered around the lounge. Just a she was about to take a bite, someone interrupted her.

"And who might you be?" Sakura looked up and saw that Hatake was now sitting in the seat across from her. Startled, Sakura almost tipped back in her chair.

"Gah! How did you get here so fast? You were sitting right over there a second ago!" Even though she couldn't see it, Sakura could feel him smirking at her.

She hmphed at him and took a big bite of her sandwich. A few bites later and he spoke up again.

"Magic." Sakura looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, what?"

"You asked how I got here so fast. My answer is magic." Sakura blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out if he was playing around with her or just plain crazy. Hoping that it was the former, she conjured up her best acting skills.

"Really? That's so cool! I've always wanted to meet a wizard!" Kakashi was caught off guard. Was this girl an idiot? Noticing his confusion and the slightly alarmed look in his eyes, Sakura couldn't keep back a giggle. However that giggle turned into a few more and before she knew it she was laughing.

"Hahaha, you're expression was priceless!" Having deduced that he had been played, Kakashi merely scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. Once Sakura calmed down she took a sip of her juice, closing her eyes in ecstasy. Cranberry juice was her favorite and she planned to savor the taste for as long as she could.

Kakashi watched, transfixed, as the pink-haired girl in front of him drank her juice. His mismatched eyes took in in every little detail and expression and for some reason he just couldn't look away. Perhaps it was the fact that he hadn't gotten any in so long.

Sakura opened her eyes and saw Kakashi staring at her intensely. She raised her eyebrow.

"What?" The man blinked. Was she not aware of how she looked a few moments ago? Just that expression could pull almost any man in, unfortunately including himself. The ding of the coffee machine saved him from answering.

"So what are you doing here? I haven't seen you around here before." Sakura washed her dish and cup out before getting a mug for her coffee. She turned around and faced Hatake.

"Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Sakura Haruno, and I was hired as a hacker for a case." Mug in hand, Sakura walked back to the door. She turned back around when she was standing in the doorway.

"It was nice meeting you, Kakashi Hatake." And then she was gone.

Kakashi was slightly surprised. Even though she was a hacker, she seemed to know more about him than he first thought. Despite the fact that she was a hacker, not many knew his name without him telling them. He was an assassin, and being undetectable was part of his job, including disappearing from any records on the internet. Hm, what an interesting girl.

-s-

Sakura made it back to her room without any other run ins with others. It had been surprisingly nice chatting with Hatake, even though they hadn't really talked much. He seemed a tad friendlier than what she had first assumed. She took a look at the clock. 9:30 pm. Was she really gone that long?

Shaking her head to clear these extra thoughts, she made sure she had her see-through world map by her before she finally started the tedious work of tracing an email. Tracing an email was much like tracking someone's movements, but through the internet system instead. Accessing the IP address on the email was easy. She was then met with a barrier that needed a password to get through, much like a locked door. Sakura sent a Trojan virus to hack into the main system and decode a possibility of passwords that were used for this specific lock. Once she broke in she had the computer pinpoint the exact location and mark it down on the see-through map electronically, before continuing on. However, she was met with another path and had to start the whole process over again. She bounced from one country, to another, and back again before she realized what was happening. The sender had used a complicated technique that basically made it seem like a infinite staircase. In all of her experience and data collecting, Sakura could only think of three hackers who were able to do this. She was one of them. Since it was near impossible escaping these, Sakura had created her own program to counteract the never-ending loop she was stuck in.

After booting up her program and clearing the see-through map, she began the process again. This time when she hit the second pathway she was able to find an alternate route with the help of her program. Eventually she was able to reach the second to last location. Right before she was able to pinpoint the final spot, her tracker disappeared and she was left one stop short. Sakura blinked at the screen a few times before narrowing her eyes and trying again. She received the same results. Sakura had an inkling she knew who it was, but tried it once more to be 100% sure.

Sakura knew in her heart that it still wouldn't work. Her tracker disappeared. The only expert hacker that could successfully destroy her trackers without giving away any bit of information that might slip out was Kabuto Yakushi, ranked number one hacker of all time. The very same Kabuto Yakushi that works with Orochimaru. Thoughts raced through her sleep deprived mind, but only one thing escaped her lips.

"Shit."

* * *

A/N: ya. so the first chapter is done! Yay!

Just want to give a big thanks to : **minniemousemom**,** Echo Uchiha, TeenageCrisis**,** Geanymaus**,** angel897**,** Cissus**, and **Amawasya**

Thanks everyone for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! ^_^

All your wonderful support gave me the motivation to hurry and write this chapter for you guys.

Please don't forget to review. thanks.

SS


	3. Chapter 2

**The Hacker**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

That night Sakura had barely slept. She had spent a good hour or so putting together a file of all the information she knew about Kabuto for Tsunade's convenience. Tsunade needed to know what exactly they were up against. She pulled out any information she could possibly find, ranging from things on the internet to things that she had heard about him. Even still, his file was quite empty. Already things were looking pretty bad.

Next Sakura did the same for Orochimaru. Now this guy was someone she hoped she'd never have to meet. His mind was corrupt and from everything she'd learned about him she'd come to the conclusion that this guy was one twisted man. She knew that he was one of Tsunade's old childhood friends, and the woman would probably be affected by this turn of events. She hoped Tsunade would be able to keep a level head even with this problem. Orochimaru's file had taken much longer since there was much more information about him, and by the time she was done it was close to 2:00 am.

Even then she was unable to sleep. Her mind kept running in circles. She now knew that they were dealing with probably the most evil of all threats. Although some part of her was completely ecstatic at the chance to finally push herself past her boundaries, she knew that failure was definitely not an option.

The next morning she was up early, furiously writing things on another, much larger see-through board. This one however, was blank to begin with. As time passed, the board began to fill up with her writing. She was trying to create a plan of action. When dealing with these two men, you couldn't just jump in thoughtlessly. Oh no, you had to set traps; lots and lots of traps. She had to be stealthy and precise, almost like a ninja; a computer ninja.

Before going to report to Tsunade like she had originally planned, Sakura decided to check browse the network once more just incase there might be some more information for her to present.

After much scanning she finally got to the public computers. Why they had public computers when they were loaded with money and could afford for everyone to have their own, she didn't know. What she did know was that this only aided Kabuto.

And it was with these computers that she discovered an email sent to him. Knowing the other hacker, she would be unable to trace it, but it was still worth a try. Much like she had predicted, her efforts were a waste of time, and she was unable to trace it to Kabuto and was also unable to figure out who the sender.

Sakura couldn't help the sinking feeling in her stomach. This only meant one thing. There was a mole in the FBI.

-s-

Sakura went on her way to Tsunade's office. Today she wore a clean pair of the same clothes as the day before, except for the t-shirt which was replaced by a grey one with the superman logo on it. She took a quick detour through the lounge to pick up an energy bar and a glass of her favorite juice.

Standing in front of the captains' door, Sakura took a few moments to collect her thoughts. Finally she knocked.

"Come in." Sakura shut the door behind her.

"Ms. Haruno. I didn't expect to see you so soon. Have you found something?" The blonde woman laced her fingers together and placed her elbows on her desk, resting her chin on top of them. Sakura nodded.

"I have. And please call me Sakura." Tsunade shrugged her shoulders.

"If you insist. Now what have you found?" Sakura steeled herself.

"I know who's behind this attack. It's Orochimaru and his side-kick Kabuto Yakushi." Tsunade remained unaffected.

"And what proof do you have to support your accusation?"

"The sender of the email used multiple stops at different locations before it was received. Using a program that I created, I was able to track it down to the second to last stop. However just before it got to the end, my tracker disappeared. Just vanished. I tried the process from the beginning and got the same results. I know only three who are able to accomplish this "chase", including me. However only myself and one other are able to make the tracker disappear without a trace. That other hacker is Kabuto. He is actually well-known for that specific strategy, as well as working together with Orochimaru." Tsunade took a moment to process all the information.

"How sure are you on this assumption?"

"After the first time, 95%. After the third time, 100% sure. There is no doubt that we are dealing with these two men. I spent some time putting together files of both of them and I will transfer them over to your computer through my own personal network once I'm done cleaning out the system." Tsunade inclined her head in acceptance.

"One last thing. I'm not 100% sure on this, but it is very possible that there is a mole in the agency." This elicited a reaction from Tsunade.

"That is a very large accusation. Because you have proven your abilities, I will hear you out. However, you better have a good explanation for this." Sakura nodded her head.

"I do. As I was doing a scan through the system, I found an email sent to Kabuto. Nevermind the fact that I was unable able to trace neither where the email was received, nor who sent it because they used a public computer. The main problem is that there should be no reason for one of your agents to have any sort of contact with Kabuto whatsoever. That alone should be reason enough. Luckily I was able to find a few other similar emails also sent to Kabuto. Not only that, but the dates they were sent were evenly spaced out. If my calculations are correct, I expect for the next one to be sent some time tomorrow." Tsunade looked thoughtful.

"So what you're saying is that we can catch the rat if we watch everyone who uses the public computers tomorrow?" Sakura nodded.

"Correct. However I'd like to request that you keep this secret and only tell one or two others just incase." Tsunade thought about it and then nodded.

"Alright. I must say, I'm glad that I let you work on this case. You have helped us get much farther in one day, than we would have been able to in a week. Now that's not to say that the FBI is inadequate. We are simply not as adept with computers are you are." Feeling the tense atmosphere in the room slip away, Sakura grinned and then curtsied.

"Why thank you." Tsunade smirked.

"Keep up the good work. Now dismissed." Sakura left the room feeling confident.

-s-

After her report to Tsunade, Sakura decided that she needed to increase the security on the network. Even if they were the FBI, extra protection wouldn't hurt, right?

She first went about creating a program that allowed her to see any network ports that were open or visible through the network, like a house alarm that notifies you what door is open. If they were either of these two, that meant that anyone outside the system would be able to get through the barriers and into the computer.

Sakura was quite surprised when she found that there were quite a few that were open or visible, one of them being Tsunade's personal computer. This would have been very problematic if she hadn't caught this because she would have sent all her information to Tsunade from her own computer. Even if she used a private connection that only she knew about, the hackers of Tsunade's computer would know about her having a separate network.

If the hackers got word of her private network, they would undoubtedly try to hack into her own laptop, which she most certainly couldn't allow. All her data and years of research were saved on her laptop. She rarely went anywhere without it for fear of someone else getting their hands on her precious baby.

A very skilled hacker would have had to be the one to break into Tsunade's heavily secured computer and change her settings undetected. Her bets were on Kabuto.

It took Sakura a good couple hours to close up each and every port again and make it so that they were completely undetectable. She them attached her own virus onto each of the ports so that if anything was able to break through her barriers, the virus would instantly be set off and would infect the other computer, along with giving her a warning and notification of where there was an attempted hack. Kind of like a burglar alarm.

She then went to work on creating a maze for those that were able to get past both of the protections she had set up. The maze was fashioned so that all infections would be redirected to another port that seemed to be identical to the one they were trying to hack. However this system was connected to an imaginary computer which she was able to "access" and see what programs and viruses she had collected. She would then be able to analyze each and every one individually and be able to trace them, hopefully, back to the sender. Sakura felt like a modern day version of Daedalus.

Finally finished with her preparations, she took a look at the time. Midnight.

Sakura sighed. Her sleep pattern was getting all screwed up and if this case kept proceeding like it was now, she had a feeling she'd be an insomniac by the end of the month. That is, if this lasted that long.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat uninterrupted, she quickly changed into her pajamas and then went to lie down on the couch supplied in her room. Sakura fell asleep feeling confident in her progress.

* * *

A/N: wow. Two chapters in two days. That's a new record for me. ^_^

Anyways I had a lot of fun coming up with this chapter. The twists and workings of the viruses was quite new and interesting. ^_^

* Note: For those of you who do not know who Daedalus is. In Greek mythology Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan. Daedalus is first mentioned by Homer as the creator of a wide dancing-ground for Ariadne. He also created the Labyrinth on Crete, in which the Minotaur (part man, part bull) was kept.*

A big thanks to: minniemousemom, Echo Uchiha, TeenageCrisis, Geanymaus, angel897, Cissus, Amawasya, **reader713**,** Delilah-smurple**, **aimiera**, **brokenmaelstrom**,** Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha**, and** violentblossom**

Thanks everyone for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! ^_^

All your wonderful support gave me the motivation to hurry and write this chapter for you guys.

Let me know if there are any mistakes.

Please don't forget to review!

thanks.

SS


	4. Chapter 3

**The Hacker**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

Sweat poured down Sakura's face as she punched another training dummy. Kabuto, the little shit, was still five steps ahead of her. She had estimated that the mole would use the computer in the early morning. It was now past noon and not one person had touched the public computers. Sakura was just about ready to pull her hair out. Its true that she was pissed at the other hacker, but she was more upset with herself than anything else. She should have known Kabuto wouldn't be caught that easily and she should have had a backup plan. She had failed this chance and now she just wanted to vent her frustrations. Unfortunately, there was nobody around to spar with, so she had to settle on pummeling the dummies. Contrary to the stereotypical belief that computer geniuses were physically weak, Sakura was able to hold her own in a fight.

Her head swiveled around when she heard the door opening. Her eyes locked on to gravity-defying silver hair and she immediately knew who it was. Kakashi Hatake. She turned her body fully to face him as he entered.

Kakashi was shocked to see the same woman he had been talking a little while ago, hunched over slightly and breathing heavily. He could tell she had been working out. He noticed that she had changed her clothes and now wore a pair of sneakers, spandex shorts, a sports bra, and a tank top. The silenced stretched on. Finally Sakura had enough and decided to speak up.

"Yo." Kakashi merely raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant greeting. He took in the completely beaten up training dummies and the slight tense in her shoulders.

"Wanna spar with me?" Sakura knew she was asking a highly trained assassin, but frankly she needed to relieve some stress, and if that meant fighting an impossible opponent just to get rid of it, then so be it. Kakashi merely kept his silence, staring at her as if she grew a second head.

"Just a friendly spar. Nothing so intense that you have to use your assassin skills. Please?" Kakashi thought about it for a moment. As much as he wanted to be alone this morning, he **was** in need a of sparring partner, and Sakura didn't seem to bad that bad of company. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure. Why not." Sakura smiled at him before picking up her discarded fingerless gloves and putting them on.

"Best two out of three?" Kakashi looked at her skeptically, before shrugging again.

"Whatever you want." Sakura nodded. She waited for him to get ready, before immediately launching a punch at him.

Kakashi had not expected this fast attack from her, but he was able to dodge it easily, his training coming in handy. He saw an opening and went for it, but Sakura ducked. Kakashi tripped her and was about to pin her to the floor but she rolled out of the way.

After a little while Sakura was finally able to get the upper hand and held him on the floor. She knew that he was going easy on her and that he wouldn't make the same mistake twice, but she still felt pretty proud of herself. She continued to hold him down until he conceded defeat. Approval flashed across his eyes.

"You win this round, but next time I won't be so easy on you."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

He won the second round. Just before the tie-breaker match could start, someone appeared in the doorway. Sakura identified him as Kotetsu Hagane.

"Miss Sakura Haruno?"

"Yes?"

"Tsunade requests your presence in her office ASAP." Sakura nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Thanks Kotetsu." He exited with a shocked expression on his face. Sakura sighed.

"Sorry Kakashi. Rain check on the rest of the sparring." She smiled apologetically. He merely gave her a happy eye crease.

"You should probably take a shower first so you're not all sweaty." Sakura agreed.

"Later then." Kakashi simply lifted his hand up.

Once she had showered, Sakura changed into another t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it, jean capris, and her black converse. She put her hair up in two side ponytails to keep the water from her wet hair from dripping onto her clothes. She decided to forgo the jacket, and therefore left it in her room.

She was finally standing in front of Tsunade's door. She knocked and then opened to door when a voice granted her permission to enter.

~s~

Jiraiya eyed the new hacker. There was something about the way she held herself that seemed familiar. But he would definitely remember someone with pink hair. Then again, he only knew one other person with apple green eyes like hers. But they had long black hair. His mind was warring against itself, trying to figure this girl out. The spark of recognition in her eyes when she saw him didn't seem to help any, but he could just chalk that up to her hacking skills.

During the brief meeting he was thinking deeply about who this Sakura girl was and why he couldn't help the feeling that they had met before. He wasn't worried about missing out on the facts. Tsunade would fill him in later. He was brought out of his musings when Sakura nodded her head and then turned to leave. His eyes widened when he caught sight of something.

There on the back of her neck was a black intricate flower tattoo. Something clicked in his mind and he was too shocked to say anything before she closed the door. He knew only one other person with a tattoo exactly like that as well as in the same exact spot.

_Hana?_

~s~

Sakura had to take a few minutes to collect herself before she walked back to her room. Seeing her old fighting teacher had been quite a shock. However she was quick to remind herself that back then she disguised herself by using black hair dye, so there was no way he could remember her. Other than that, the meeting went off without a hitch. Granted Tsunade shared in her disappointment, but she was quick to recompose herself and take charge again. Sakura couldn't help but admire her control and leveled head. She could see now why Tsunade was the head of the FBI.

~s~

Itachi had been looking for Sakura since the morning. He had briefly mentioned a new hacker during dinner one night, and now his father wanted to meet "him". He didn't feel the need to argue with him, so he merely kept quiet about Sakura being a "her" and not a "him". His mother had suggested he invite the new hacker over for dinner. Having seen Itachi's slight reaction to Fugaku calling the hacker a male, she immediately deduced that the new hacker was, in fact, a female. Itachi's lack of objection only helped prove her point.

So now he was currently looking for Sakura so that he could take her to meet his parents and be done with it. However this task was proven more difficult that he thought because she was nowhere to be found. He had checked everywhere possible and still turned up empty handed. He had just passed Hatake when the man decided to speak.

"If you're looking for pinkie, she's in a meeting with Tsunade. She'll probably go back to her room once they're done." Itachi raised an eyebrow. Since when did Hatake and Sakura know each other? Kakashi shrugged his shoulders.

"Just a suggestion." He said, before continuing on his way, leaving Itachi standing there watching his back. Deciding to question the how's and what's later, he went to check Sakura's room one more time.

~s~

Sakura had just sat down to continue her work when a knock interrupted her. She mentally groaned at the thought of getting up just when she made herself comfortable. However not wanting to be rude, she sighed before getting back up and making her way to the door. She took a deep breath and then opened the door.

* * *

A/N: hey guys. Sorry this is short, but I've been pretty busy with school and now prom and stuff so I haven't had much time to write. Also despite the fact that I have spring break next week, I'm going somewhere on vacation so I won't have my computer with me. But I will be able to write out the chapters, and then type them when I get back home.

Once again, a **HUGE **thanks to: minniemousemom, Echo Uchiha, TeenageCrisis, Geanymaus, angel897, Cissus, Amawasya, reader713, Delilah-smurple, aimiera, brokenmaelstrom, Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha, violentblossom, **FreedomIsPirateKey**, **Kaydreams**,** Geniusly-Unique**,** neeme88**, **999Shikaku999**, and **Shockinblue **

Thanks everyone for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! ^_^

Let me know if there are any mistakes!

Please don't forget to review!

SS


	5. Chapter 4

**The Hacker **

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

Sakura opened the door to see nobody there. Her initial reaction was to roll her eyes. Ding-dong-ditch in HQ? Really? Her gaze was drawn to the sticky note on her door. Sakura peeled it off and read it.

_Hana,_

_Meet me in the cafe on the corner of 3rd and 2nd street tomorrow morning, 8 am._

_Sensei_

She swore under her breath. Damn it. She'd been caught. How did he find out? She had gone out of her way to avoid being recognized. She closed the door and went to lie down on her makeshift bed, staring up at the ceiling. Well, might as well go.

Before she could ponder more on it another knock interrupted her. She groaned before opening the door again. Sakura was surprised when she was greeted by the sight of Itachi Uchiha standing in front of her. She wiped the look off her face and cleared her throat, he continued to watch her stoically.

"Can I help you?" Itachi finally nodded.

"You have been summoned to meet someone important." Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"And if I refuse?" She challenged.

"You do not have that option." Itachi remained completely emotionless. Sakura could tell that he would very easily knock her out if he had to. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright. When?"

"In one hour. Are you ready to leave now?" She took one look at what she was wearing and shrugged her shoulders before going over to her bed and putting on the sleeveless jacket she had thrown there. She quickly locked up her laptop and any other valuables she had here in a safe. She then picked up the key for the room off the table and walked out to meet Itachi who hadn't moved from his spot. She closed the door behind her and locked it, attaching the key to a necklace and then placing it around her neck again. She had learned a long time ago that it would be much harder to steal something that was hanging around her neck than if it were loose in her pockets.

"I'm ready." Itachi slightly inclined his head before walking away without a word. Sakura rolled her eyes before following him, trying not to think of her being an obedient dog following its master.

They continued walking until they reached the indoor parking lot and finally the car. Sakura took note that it was the same as the one he had come to collect her in before.

Sakura could only describe the next 45 minutes as painful. Not only did this guy speed, but he also didn't utter one peep to her. Not much of a talker is he? For some reason an image of Itachi as a mime popped into her head. She could barely contain her laughter from escaping her lips. Then mime Itachi started acting out the part. He was failing at walking against the wind. She snorted at that but quickly silenced herself when Itachi looked over at her and raised his eyebrow in question. Sakura merely shook her head before turning her thoughts inward and started thinking about all the files she still needed to scan through. Kabuto was a slippery sucker and she'd need to pull out all the stops to catch him and his rat. Not a single file could be overlooked if she wanted to catch him.

Sakura continued her inner musings until Itachi parked the car in front of a giant house.

_More like mansion_, she thought to herself. _Wait, mansion? What are we doing at someone's personal home. Meeting people doesn't usually work that way…unless…_Sakura spoke up.

"Am I meeting your father?" If Itachi was surprised he didn't show it.

"Yes. He is the head of the Konoha Police Department, so behave yourself. Now come." He walked away before she could reply. Wanting to stay in the car but knowing she wouldn't have a choice, she huffed and then followed after him.

He opened the door and walked in, holding it open for her as well. Sakura stepped inside and immediately felt out of place. The interior was grandiose and elegant. She didn't think there were any appropriate words to describe it, just that the house seemed to fit her view of the Uchiha family perfectly.

Itachi lead her through the hallway and into what she guessed was the family room where two figures were already sitting. They stood up when Sakura and Itachi approached.

"Father, mother. This is Sakura Haruno, the hacker that is working with the FBI on our most recent case." Sakura caught the surprised looks she received. She silently observed as Itachi's father gave her a quick once-over before disregarding her. His mother did the same, but instead she looked thoughtful. Itachi then turned to Sakura.

"These are my parents, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha." Sakura didn't feel like telling him that she already knew who they were. Instead she surprised them all when she bowed respectfully to the two elder Uchiha.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha." Before the greetings could progress, their conversation was interrupted by two arguing voices gradually getting louder as they approached.

"Sasuke-teme admit I won!"

"Shut up, Naruto-baka." Sakura froze. It couldn't be.

The four turn around just in time to see blonde and black hair coming down the stairs. Their arguing continued until they reached the bottom and finally noticed the other people present. The silence that followed was deafening. Two pairs of bright blue eyes and grey eyes were fixated on the pinkette in front of them. The two stood there, frozen with disbelief.

"Sakura" "Sakura-chan" they whispered simultaneously before going quiet again. Sakura gave them a slight wave and a watery smile.

"Hey guys." The two continued to stare at her as if they'd seen a ghost. Naruto was the first to snap out of it.

"Sakura-chan!" He ran at Sakura and tackled her to the ground in a tight hug, his actions too fast for her to react. Tears were falling from his eyes and Sakura could feel the moisture running down her own cheeks. The two continued like that for a little while. Sasuke hadn't moved a muscle and before he could comprehend what was happening, Sakura had jumped up and glomped him, hugging him to death and crying in his shirt while Naruto continued to hug her legs. Itachi and his parents quietly watched the three with mixed feelings. Fugaku looked irritated, Itachi remained stoic, and Mikoto looked interested. Her eyes widened in surprise as she watched Sasuke wrap his arms around Sakura and was even more amazed when she saw that his eyes had softened considerably.

After a while Fugaku's patience had vanished and he cleared his throat impatiently. The three looked up and Sakura blushed and mumbled an apology while the other two just glared at the head of the Uchiha family for ruining their moment. Sakura began to extract herself from Naruto and Sasuke, and finally succeeded in prying their grips off her. She then turned to Mikoto and scratched the back of her head in a similar fashion as Naruto usually did.

"I think it would be best to answer all the questions I know everyone has during dinner." Mikoto smiled and nodded her head.

"Yes, yes. Right this way."

After walking through a set of fancy doors, they finally reached the dining room. Sakura gave an assessing glance around the room, her eyes catching the hidden cameras and other security measures. Her gaze fell on the table and mentally rolled her eyes. Unlike most 4-sided tables in other peoples houses, the Uchiha's apparently sat and ate at a circular one. An unbidden thought popped into her mind and she just managed to contain her laugh. _The Uchiha's of the Round Table_.

Sakura walked to the left side of the table and sat down. Naruto and Sasuke were by her side in an instant, occupying the seats to her right and left. The rest of the family took up the remaining seats. Even though the table was round, Sakura still got the feeling that Fugaku was sitting at the head of the table, facing the door. To his left was Mikoto and then Itachi. To his right was Sasuke and then herself, leaving Naruto to her immediate right and in the seat across from Fugaku. A minute later and a few butlers brought in the entrée. Sakura had a feeling that she'd be eating a full course meal tonight. There was some light chit-chat during the main course, but other than that, their meals were eaten in silence. It was only until after dessert that Naruto finally burst.

"Sakura-chan, we thought you were dead!" Sakura could feel Itachi's heavy stare on her.

"Well that was sorta the point." She held up her hand when she saw Naruto was about to interrupt.

"Let me start from the beginning so that everyone will be able to understand. You, Sasuke, and I became friends when we were in middle school and kept that friendship throughout high school and until the end of college. Back when we were in school I was known as Hana and used to dye my hair black due to a traumatic occurrence when I was younger regarding my pink hair. But you all don't need to know the details of that story.

You guys, along with everyone else, continued to believe that my name was Hana and my hair was naturally black, that is, until you two burst in on me putting the black dye in and hearing my parents call me by my real name. Now that I think about it, I feel like we grew closer that day. I didn't have to keep any other secrets from you guys and I think vice-versa. Not only that, but you also knew of my advanced abilities with technology.

You guys were also there for me when my parents were murdered. A few weeks after it happened a guy, whose name I shall not disclose, approached me with information about the murder of my parents. I don't want to go into too much detail about it, but basically my parents had been doing some undercover work through the computers and their targets had found out. I won't share who my parents worked for, but I can say that when I went to check what their assignment had been, all files and any data regarding their involvement with their employers had vanished. To this day I still have no idea how that information disappeared. Usually you can still trace anything that has been electronically deleted or erased. This was not the case. All relevant information about my parents was untraceable.

A few weeks before our graduation I got a job offer where I'd be able to put my skills as a computer wiz to good use. However, there was a catch. If I were to accept this opportunity to work as a "computer hacker", I'd have to severe all ties in my life. This was the most painful part for me. I pretty much died a little when I had to cut my relationship with you guys. You two were like the brothers I never had. You cared about me more than my own parents had. And Sasuke don't try and deny it. Naruto and I both know you did." Sasuke shut his mouth.

"A week after graduation I killed the Hana Haruno everyone knew. I got everyone to believe that I was leaving the country, for one reason or another. I got some help from a few people to stage my death. Everyone thought that the private jet I was on had crashed and the damage was so great that there wasn't even the possibility of searching for my remains. Once everyone thought I was dead I removed the hair dye and began to use my real name, Sakura.

I started working at the bottom like any other normal person with their first job. I wasn't well known, and not many came to me as their first choice to hire. I took more and more jobs and worked my way up the ladder. I've been able to get a few more clues for my parents' murder, but I'm still nowhere near even finding a suspect. I won't say what kind of jobs I do, nor share the names of my employers. All you need to know is that for all these jobs I work as a hacker, not a cracker." Naruto interrupted here.

"What's the difference?"

"A hacker builds things; a cracker breaks them." She waited until Naruto nodded his head in understanding before continuing.

"Back to the story. A few days ago Itachi went and payed my home a visit. Apparently the FBI needed my help with what I specialize in and now we're racing against the clock to save Konoha." Sakura finally concluded her long monologue. By now everyone had moved into the family room and had gotten themselves comfortable, still avidly listening to her life story.

"Sakura-chan, you could have at least told us you were alive. We could have even helped you with some of your jobs." Sakura shook her head.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but this was something I had to do on my own." Naruto's bright blue eyes gazed into her own. He finally nodded his head.

"Alright. I'm just glad you're ok. We really missed you, right teme?" Naruto elbowed Sasuke in his side. Sasuke grunted before elbowing him back, receiving a yelp from the blonde.

"Yeah." Sakura smiled happily at her two best friends and brothers and watched in amusement as they began fighting with each other again. She really did miss them.

Fugaku and Itachi eventually began conversing over their plan of action and how the work was going, and at some point Itachi had dragged Sakura into the discussion as well. At that point Fugaku wanted to hear about her role in all of the planning and how her skills as a hacker could benefit them. Their conversation continued well into the night, and it was already 10 pm when Sakura checked the time. Throughout the conversation Fugaku became slightly more impressed with Sakura and her skills.

Sakura had to smother a yawn that was threatening to break through. It would definitely be considered rude to yawn while Fugaku Uchiha was talking. The practice with Kakashi really had worn her out, but she didn't feel it until now. Itachi watched as Sakura gradually showed skills of exhaustion. He cut in when his father took a breath.

"Father, I believe it is late. I need to drive Ms. Haruno back to headquarters." Fugaku looked slightly irritated at being interrupted, but nodded his head in understanding. He stood up with Sakura and Itachi.

"We still have a few things we need to discuss when you return home." Itachi inclined his head. Remembering her manners, Sakura bowed to the head of the Uchiha family.

"Thank you very much for allowing me to come over. It has been quite an evening and I appreciate your hospitality. Good night Mr. Uchiha." Approval flashed through Fugaku's eyes, but was gone the next second.

"Good night Ms. Haruno. Thank you for coming."

Itachi and Sakura gradually made their way to the front door. Having to stop to say goodbye to his mother.

"Thank you Mrs. Uchiha for your hospitality. The dinner was exceptional and it was a pleasure meeting you." Mikoto internally squealed. This girl was just too cute, despite her being in her early 20's.

"Please, call me Mikoto. And the pleasure is all mine. I'm so very glad I had a chance to meet you. I hope you will consider coming over again." Sakura smiled, already taking a liking to the female Uchiha.

"I will definitely consider it, thank you Mikoto. Good night!"

"Good night and be careful on your way there!"

The two were stopped right before they got into the car. Naruto had come barreling out the front door behind them and glomped Sakura from the side.

"Wait Sakura-chan! Don't go! We still haven't had a chance to catch up yet!" Sakura hugged him back before pulling away and reaching into his pocket to get out his cell phone. She put her number in and saved it under Sakura. When she was done she handed the phone back to him.

"Here ya go. Now you have my cell number. Give me a call, at a reasonable time, and we'll schedule a time when we can meet and catch up. Maybe over some ramen?" Naruto smiled goofily.

"You're the best Sakura-chan!" Sakura gave him a smile and another hug before turning to face Sasuke who just stood there with his hands in his pockets. She smiled and attacked him with a hug. Instead of pushing her away or glaring at her like he normally would with other girls, he took his hands out of his pockets and wrapped them around her, the corner of his lip turned up.

"I'm really glad I got to see you guys again." Sakura said, her words muffled by his shirt.

"So are we. We missed you." He squeezed her shoulders before letting her go.

The entire time Itachi had been patiently sitting in the drivers seat, watching them interact with each other in fascination. He'd never really seen Sasuke act this way before, especially to a girl. Finally Sakura got into the car and the two took off, Sakura waving to her best friends until they were out of sight.

The drive back was more comfortable than on the way there. Sakura felt like something had changed between the two of them tonight. The air seemed much less tense and for some reason this made her feel happier.

They were less than 20 minutes away before Itachi was the one who surprisingly broke the silence.

"So you do have manners after all."

"Shut up!"

* * *

A/N: hi everyone. I am so very very very sorry about the long wait. Change of plans. I've decided to finish writing the story before making any major adjustments. I owe it to all you wonderful people who have put up with my delays since the beginning. Thank you all again for reading this and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope it met at least some of your expectation and made up for the long wait at least a little.

I'll try my best to get a few more chapters up before I have to go off to college in September.

Thank you everyone for your reviews, favorites, and story alerts.

A **GINORMOUS **thanks to: minniemousemom, Echo Uchiha, TeenageCrisis, Geanymaus, angel897, Cissus, Amawasya, reader713, Delilah-smurple, aimiera, brokenmaelstrom, Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha, violentblossom, FreedomIsPirateKey, Kaydreams, Geniusly-Unique, neeme88, 999Shikaku999, Shockinblue, **momoko09, aDDiCTED-2-SUGaR, wayunachi, Weasel-Scarecrow Luvrs, Lloigor, Aerith102, vimesis, Flamegirl5500, Idiot Number 42, silver starlight serpant, Sakura Crystals, C.a.s, Vampy Kitten, **and** Karatekid-Ninja.**

(if you wrote a review, favorite story, or did a story alert and you are not mention above, then I am truly sorry. I didn't not intentionally exclude you. Let me know and I'll add you in.)

(P.S. to the people who simply read this, that's fine with me. However if you want your name included too, I can't do it if I don't know it. :P )

You all are amazing and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

Let me know if there are any mistakes.

And I know I probably don't deserve them for my tardiness, but it would be great if you guys could put in a review or two to let me know how I'm doing.

Thanks again,

SS


	6. Chapter 5

**The Hacker**

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

Sitting, waiting in a café for her perverted sensei wasn't how Sakura wanted to spend her morning. Granted she hadn't seen the guy in a few years and she did owe him an explanation for just vanishing, but still. Saturdays were usually spent sleeping through a good portion of the day. It was her time to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Forgetting to bring enough money to buy herself some coffee certainly had nothing to do with it.

She folded her arms on the table and let her head rest on them, closing her eyes as she did so. She was too tired for this. Not even a full minute had passed before she felt someone invade her personal space and whisper in her ear.

"Wakey wakey Hana-chan, or should I say Sakura-chan." Sakura groaned. Not even a minute of rest. She lifted her head and regarded the man sitting across from her, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Now is that any way to greet your old sensei?" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"It's too early. Buy me a coffee and then we'll talk." Jiraiya faked a hurt expression.

"Why Sakura-chan, you wound me! Choosing coffee before your own dear sensei!" Sakura rolled her eyes again.

"Just go Jiraiya."

"Fine, fine."

20 minutes later and Sakura sat contentedly drinking her mocha frappuccino. She opened up the top and used the straw to collect some of the whipped cream on top before sticking it in her mouth again. Yum. Right behind cranberry juice, coffee was her second favorite drink.

"Anything else my lady? Perhaps a massage or a foot rub as well?" Sakura snorted.

"Hilarious. Nothing else, thank you."

"As you wish my lady." Jiraiya bowed and then slid into the seat across from her, his own cup of coffee in hand.

"I believe you have some questions for me? Ask away and I'll answer the best I can."

"Well since my entire database of who you really are is completely false, why don't you just start from the very beginning." Sakura nodded her head and took another sip. She at least owed him that. Now where to begin.

"When I was younger, people used to tease me about my pink hair. Called me a freak along with other things. I decided to dye my hair black and also changed my name. The next year I switched schools and entered Konoha Middle School. I made a few friends there, and all was well. Then came high school. That was when I discovered my talent with computers.

I'm not exactly sure why I joined your dojo, but I'm glad I did. Sparring helps clear my mind and I feel all my thoughts rearrange themselves and become more organized. Fighting also helped me out a few times when I was in a pinch. But I digress.

My life was pretty consistent until my last year in college. My parents used to do some espionage through computers. One mission something happened and they had been discovered. I came home and found that they had been murdered. I tried to find any information I could about their mission and mark, but everything was gone.

After graduation I got a job offer that could use my hacking skills. However I basically had to make Hana disappear. Cut all my ties with everyone. It's a good think I dyed my hair and changed my name. Who would have thought it would be useful in the future? Anyways, I made it so everyone thought I was dead before taking out the dye and doing the job. That also meant I couldn't come to the dojo anymore. Why reminds me. How did you know I was Hana?" Jiraiya smirked.

"Your eyes and how you held yourself tipped me off. Your tattoo on the back of your neck only solidified my speculation."

"My tattoo? I thought I hid that pretty well during training and everything else."

"Your hair slipped one time and I saw it. You weren't wearing your jacket when you went to talk with Tsunade-chan and I saw it then too." Tsunade-**chan**?

"Oh. I got that tattoo in commemoration of my parents."

"I see."

"Ya. Well anyways, a few days ago Itachi came by my apartment and told me the FBI needed help. I've been working on the case ever since." Jiraiya was quiet for a while.

"You've had a pretty rough past, kid. I know it's not much, but you're still welcome in the dojo." Sakura smiled.

"Thanks Jiraiya." He grinned back at her.

"Which reminds me. Your sparring partners, Kazuki and Takeshi. They now work in the FBI." Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. No way!

"Really? When did they join, or get recruited or whatever?"

"Not long after you disappeared. Actually they came back from an assignment out of the country a few months ago. I'm sure they'll be pretty excited to spar with you again." Sakura thought about it. It would be nice to see them and spar with them again.

"Ya sure. I'll go look them up when I have a chance."

"Sounds like a plan. Well I've got to go meet an informant for Tsunade-chan now. Good luck with the case Sakura, and make sure to stop by at the dojo. The few newbies who joined need to have their egos kicked down a notch or two." Jiraiya winked and Sakura laughed in return.

"Haha, sure! If I have some free time I'll be more than happy to help." And thus concluded their little get together.

Finally back in her room, Sakura continued building a new virus. She thought back to what she had told Naruto and the Uchihas. It's true that she did work as a hacker for some, but she also needed to do some cracking. But she'd never share that, especially with the head of the Konoha Police Force. She definitely would have had to do some time if she told them. After all, what they don't know wont hurt them, right? She diligently continued her work until her cell phone started vibrating on the table next to her. She paused in her typing and looked at the unfamiliar number before answering.

"Hello?"

"SAKURA-CHAN!" She could have sworn she just lost some of her hearing.

"Naruto! Quit yelling!"

"Sakura-chan! Come have lunch with me and teme!" Sakura considered for a moment before shrugging. Why not?

"Sure Naruto. Where and when? And no ramen."

"Sakura?"

"Hey Sasuke." She could hear Naruto in the background, screaming for his phone back.

"Meet us at the burger restaurant we used to go to in half an hour."

"Ok sure. See you guys soon." And then she hung up. She quickly saved all her data and then packed everything up before heading out. However once she opened the door, she bumped into a chest. She looked up and gasped.

"Hey Hana-chan."

'Kazuki! But how did he know I was Hana?_'_ Sakura thought.

"Excuse me?" The man looking down at her grinned.

"Well since I don't know your name and your hair is pink, I thought Hana-chan would suit you." _Ah. Got it._

"Um, hi. I'm Sakura Haruno, and you are?" She introduced, pretending she didn't know who he was. She didn't feel like revealing her secrets just yet. He bowed mockingly.

"Kazuki Hashima, at your service." Sakura giggled.

"How can I help you Kazuki-san?" He shook his head.

"Please, just Kazuki. And I heard that you fought with Hatake-san. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sparring with me, perhaps now?" Well that was convenient. Now she didn't have to go looking for them. But she couldn't ditch Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'm sorry Kazuki, but I have some things to do at the moment. Perhaps later in the evening would be better?" Kazuki grinned.

"Not a problem. How about 7?" Sakura thought it over and then nodded.

"7 sounds great. I'll meet you in the practice rooms then." Kazuki picked up her hand and brought it up to his lips, gently placing a kiss on her knuckles while staring straight into her eyes as he did so. Sakura felt herself blush lightly.

"Until then, Sakura-chan." And then he left. Sakura held her cheeks, trying to get her blush under control. Still quite the charmer. She'd had a small crush on him before when they used to spar but she thought that those feelings had gone away. Maybe she just hadn't been shown that kind of attention in a while. She scurried off when she noticed the time. The boys wouldn't be happy if she was late.

* * *

A/N: hi everyone. I tried to get this one up ASAP. Sorry if it's a little short.

I'll try my best to get a few more chapters up before I have to go off to college in September.

Thank you everyone for your reviews, story favorites, and story alerts.

A **GINORMOUS **thanks to: minniemousemom ~ Echo Uchiha ~ TeenageCrisis ~ Geanymaus ~ angel897 ~ Cissus ~ Amawasya ~ reader713 ~ Delilah-smurple ~ aimiera ~ brokenmaelstrom ~ Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha ~ violentblossom ~ FreedomIsPirateKey ~ Kaydreams ~ Geniusly-Unique ~ neeme88 ~ 999Shikaku999 ~ Shockinblue ~ momoko09 ~ aDDiCTED-2-SUGaR ~ wayunachi ~ Weasel-Scarecrow Luvrs ~ Lloigor ~ Aerith102 ~ vimesis ~ Flamegirl5500 ~ Idiot Number 42 ~ silver starlight serpant ~ Sakura Crystals ~ C.a.s ~ Vampy Kitten ~ Karatekid-Ninja ~ **Yuuki-Hime 2097 ~ Ryku Tonabei ~ ke-ke999 ~ BrennaM ~ bestfriendsmusic ~ KawaiiSin ~ LivieLi ~ UchihaSakura2007 ~ MyMelody246 ~ mUmaRhz ~ Pillow-chan ~ **and **loves0sharingon0boys.**

(if you wrote a review, favorite story, or did a story alert and you are not mentioned above, then I am truly sorry. I didn't intentionally exclude you. Let me know and I'll add you in.)

(P.S. to the people who simply read this, that's fine with me. However if you want your name included too, I can't do it if I don't know it. :P )

Let me know if there are any mistakes.

Thanks again,

SS


End file.
